Holder for sheets



B. K. SLONNEGER HOLDER FOR SHEETS Oct.. so, 1951 Filed sept. 16

FlG. i

ORDER NO.

nventor HIS- Gttorneg Patented Get. 30, 1951 UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE HOLDER FOR SHEETS Bruce K. Slonneger, Dayton, Ohio Application September 16, 1948, Serial No. 49,569

18 Claims.

1 This invention relates to a holder for sheets, such as a pile of sales slips which are to successively receive entries and to be removed from the pile, and is a further development of the invention disclosed in the patent to Bruce K.

Slonneger and Clifford S. Slonneger Number 2,526,090 issued October 17, 1950.

One object of the invention is to provide a sheet holder of simple, durable and inexpensive construction having a small number of movable parts.

A further object of the invention is to provide a sheet holder in which all operations are controlled by the straight line movement of a closure.

A further object of the invention is to provide a sheet holder having separate and normally closed compartments for unused sheets and for used sheets which are opened alternately by the movement of the closure in different directions.

A further object of the invention is to provide a sheet holder in which the pile of unused sheets is automatically elevated when the used sheet compartment is opened, to permit a used sheet to be inserted beneath said pile of unused sheets.

A further object of the invention is to provide a sheet holder in which the pile of unused sheets moves upwardly upon each removal of an uppermost sheet, thereby increasing the space below the pile of sheets in which used sheets may be deposited.

A further object of the invention is to provide a sheet holder in which each sheet, or group of sheets, is detached from the holder after an entry has been made thereon and the detached sheet, or a part of the detached group of sheets, is deposited in the ling compartment of the holder.

Other objects of the invention may appear as the sheet holder is described in detail.

In the accompanying drawings Fig. l is a top plan view of a sheet holder embodying the invention showing the closure in a partly open position and partly broken away; Fig. 2 is a side view of the holder with one side wall broken away to show the interior parts in elevation; Fig. 3 is a section taken on line 3-3 of Fig. 1 showing the closure positioned below the withdrawn sheet; Fig. 4 is a section taken on the line 4 4 of Fig. 1; Fig. 5 is a plan View of one end portion of a modified form of the holder; and Fig. 6 is a section taken on the line 6 6 of Fig. 5.

In these drawings I have illustrated lone embodiment of the invention and have shown the same as adapted for use with an ordinary type of sales slip, but it is to be understood that the holder as a whole, as well as the several parts thereof, may take various forms and may be adapted for use with sheets of various kinds and sizes. The term sheet as herein used is intended to include either a one piece sheet or a sheet unit including a plurality of sheets, such as the usual sales slip unit which comprises two or more superposed slips with a transfer medium interposed lbetween adjacent slips, and for simplicity of illustration the sheets are shown as one piece sheets.

In the particular embodiment here illustrated the holder comprises a bottom member, a movable top member and a sheet supporting device interposed between the bottom member and the top member. The several members may take vari-ous forms but preferably the bottom member comprises a receptacle IU having a bottom wall II, side walls I2 and I3 and front and rear end walls I4 and I5. The receptacle is of a length and breadth approximating the corresponding dimensions of the sales slip with which it is to be used and is of a depth suicient to receive a substantial number of superposed sheets, herein referred to as a pile of sheets.

Supported within the receptacle and spaced from the bottom thereof is a sheet supporting device which divides the receptacle into an upper compartment adapted to receive a pile of unused sheets, as indicated at I5, and a lower compartment I'I adapted to receive the used slips after they have been removed from the pile. The sheet supporting device includes means for exerting upward pressure on the end portions of the pile of used sheets. As here shown the sheet supporting device comprises a plate I8 of resilient material, such as sheet metal, which is yildably supported in the receptacle in spaced relation to the bottom wall of the latter and has both end portions thereof inclined or curved upwardly as shown at I9 and 2B in Fig 2. The plate is supported in spaced relation to the bottom of the receptacle by springs, there being preferably two such springs arranged adjacent the respective side walls in positions in which they do not obstruct the lower compartment. Preferably each spring 2I is of an elongate U-shape with the two legs thereof arranged one above the other and with the closed end of the spring adjacent the rear Wall I5 of the receptacle. The upper leg 22 of each spring extends forwardly to a point adjacent to but spaced from the forward wall I4 of the receptacle and the lower leg 23 is of a length substantially less than the length of the upper leg. Ihe springs are retained in their upright positions by mounting the same in narrow vertical housings 24 which are preferably U-shaped in cross section and extend forwardly from the rear end wall l5 along and close to the respective side walls I2 to points adjacent to and preferably slightly beyond the forward ends of the lower legs of the springs. Each housing is arranged with the closed e'dge thereof uppermost and spaced below the top of the adjacent side wall. The rear portion of the sheet supporting plate I8 is of a width slightly less than the distance between the housings 24 and the forward portion thereof is of a width approximating the distance between the side walls of the receptacle. Thus the forward portion of the plate rests upon the forward portions of the upper legs of the springs and is urged upwardly by those springs. Thus the forward portion of the pile of sheets is subjected to upward pressure due both to the springs 2l and to the inclined forward portion of the resilient plate, the latter tending to move forward ends of the sheets above the intermediate portions thereof. The upward movement of the forward ends of the sheets by this pressure is limited by a part carried by the receptacle and extending inwardly above the pile of sheets. This inwardly extending part may be connected with the receptacle in any suitable manner and it is here shown as comprising a lip 25 extending inwardly from the upper edge of the forward wall I4 of the receptacle and secured to that wall by a clip 26 of which the lip forms a part. The upward pressure of the supporting plate presses the pile of sheets against the lip 25 with a pressure sufficient to retain the sheets in their proper relative positions while permitting the uppermost sheet to be removed from the pile, and the removal of each upper sheet permits the remaining part of the pile of sheets to be moved upwardly into engagement with the lip 25 thus permitting the sheet supporting plate to move upwardly and to increase the space between the same and the bottom wall of the receptacle.

To positively prevent the .displacement of a lower sheet or sheets by the removal of the uppermost sheet means are provided for preventing the rearward movement of said lower sheets. In the arrangement shown a substantially U-shaped loop of wire 21 extends about the rear ends of the several sheets and the sheet supporting plate 20, and the legs of the U-shaped wire are connected at their forward ends with the side walls of the receptacle. One leg of the loop extends rearwardly below the supporting plate and the other leg extends rearwardly above the pile of sheets. The legs of the loop of wire are provided at their forward ends with hook shaped parts 28 which extend into the open forward ends of the respective housings 24, and the ends of these hook shaped portions project forwardly beyond the housing and overlie the lateral edges of the forward portion of the supporting plate and thus limit the upward movement of the latter when the closure is removed. The loop of wire extending about the ends of the pile of sheets not only prevents the rearward movement of any of those sheets but that leg of wire which extends above the sheets retains the rearward or free ends of the sheets in contact one with the other and with the supporting plate.

The receptacle is provided with a movable closure which normally prevents access to the interior of the receptacle and holds the rear, or free, end portion of the pile of sheets against upward movement by the pressure exerted thereon, and

the closure is mounted for movement in one dlrection to provide access to the forward portion of the upper compartment of the receptacle and permit a sheet to be removed therefrom, and to another position to release the free end of the pile of sheets for upward movement to a position which permits access to the lower compartment at the rear end of the receptacle to enable the removed sheet to be inserted therein. The closure may be mounted on the receptacle in any suitable manner. flat sheet of metal 29 of a length and width approximating the length and width of the receptacle and is slidably supported on the side walls of the receptacle for movement in either direction from its normal or closed position. In the arrangement shown the side walls of the receptacle have their upper edges turned inwardly to form flanges 30 which are spaced from the closed tops of the housings 24 to form guideways in which the lateral edges of the closure 29 are slidably supported. The rear end of the plate 29 is folded upwardly and forwardly above the same to form a finger piece 3| by which the plate can be easily manipulated and which is preferably spaced slightly above the plate. The rear corners of the closure and finger piece are cut away at 32 to permit the rear end of the closure to move forwardly beyond the rear ends of the guideways. Thus the closure can be moved rearwardly to expose the uppermost sheet in the pile of sheets or can be moved forwardly to release the free rear end of the pile of sheets for upward movement and thus provide access to the lower compartment of the receptacle through the open top of the latter and below the sheet supporting plate.

When the sheet holder is to be used for entering an order or the like the user grasps the receptacle in one hand and moves the closure rearwardly with his other hand to such a position that the uppermost sheet can be withdrawn from beneath the closure, and lifted to a position above the closure while that forward Aend thereof is held against movement. The closure is then moved forwardly beneath the withdrawn sheet to provide a writing table on which the sheet is supported during the writing of an entry thereon. The forward movement of the closure may cease when the forward edge thereof is close to or in contact with the rear edge of the lip 25, and the forward end of the withdrawn sheet will remain gripped between the lip and the next lower sheet of the pile, which is urged upwardly by the sheet supporting member. Or the forward edge of said closure may be depressed and inserted beneath the lip, between the forward edges of the withdrawn sheet and the next lower sheet, and the forward portion of the withdrawn sheet will be gripped between the lip and the end portion of the closure, which is urged upwardly by the pressure of the sheet supporting member on the pile of sheets, as shown in Fig. 3. In either position of the closure the withdrawn sheet will be gripped with sufficient rmness as to permit an entry to be written thereon but can be easily withdrawn from beneath the lip. When the entry has been completed the withdrawn sheet is then removed from the pile of sheetsl by pulling the same rearwardly from beneath the retaining lip 25, thus completely removing the same from the holder and permitting it to be inserted in a cash register, or the like, and a printed entry made thereon. If the removed sheet is a multiple sheet unit the original copy is usually detached and given to the customer, or otherwise disposed As here shown it comprises a of, and one or more of the duplicate copies are filed or deposited in the lower chamber in the receptacle.

To permit such duplicates to be filed the closure is moved forwardly a distance far enough to release the rear end of the pile of sheets and permit the same to move upwardly to a position above the top of the receptacle, as shown in Fig. 2. When the pile of sheets and the supporting plate have been moved to this position the rear end portion of the receptacle is open and the used sheet can be inserted through said open end portion into the lower compartment. When this has been done the closure is moved to its normal closed position and this movement depresses the elevated end of the pile of sheets into the receptacle and retains the same therein until such time as it is desired to insert another used sheet in the storage compartment.

In Figs. and 6 there is shown a portion of a slightly modified form of the holder with which the closure may be moved forwardly below the uppermost sheet and below the retainer to detach said uppermost sheet from the pile of sheets. In this form of the holder the retaining lip 25 and its clip 26 are omitted. The front end wall of the receptacle, Ida, is of a height slightly less than the height ofl the side walls and a retaining member 33 is supported at its ends on the side walls above and in spaced relation to the upper edge of the forward end wall and extends forwardly from that wall. The retaining member may be supported on the side walls in any suitable manner which will not interfere with the movement of the closure 29 beneath the same and preferably is mounted on the flanges 30 of the side walls. In some instances the several sheets of a pad of sales slips or the like are detachably connected one with the other, as by applying an adhesive to the edges of the sheet at one end of the pile, and it is necessary that the uppermost sheet should be detached from the lower sheets in order that it may be removed. When the closure has been positioned below the uppermost sheet of the pile and the entry has been written thereon the closure may be moved forwardly beneath the sheet which rests thereon and beyond the retaining member and thus severI the uppermost sheet from the lower sheets without displacing the latter. The retaining member is here shown as formed from a sheet of metal having its edges folded upwardly and inwardly and spaced one from the other, thus providing a channel adapted to re` ceive a slip having thereon the name of the salesman to whom the holder belongs, or such other designation as may be desired.

While I have shown and described one embodiment of my invention, and a minor modification thereof, I wish it to be understood that I do not desire to be limited to the details thereof as various modifications may occur to a person skilled in the art.

Having now fully described my invention what I claim as new and desire to secure by Letters Patent is:

1. A sheet holder comprising a receptacle having upper and lower sheet receiving compartments, said compartments being separately accessible through passages in different portions of said receptacle, a closure having parts normally closing both of said passages to prevent access to either of said compartments, and means for mounting said closure on said receptacle for movement to a position in which one of said passages is open and the other of said passages is closed, or to a position in which the first mentioned passage is closed and the last mentioned passage is open.

2. A sheet holder comprising a receptacle having two sheet receiving compartments which are separately accessible through diierent parts of said receptacle, a single closure for normally preventing access to either compartment, and means for connecting said closure with said receptacle for movement in one direction from its closed position to permit access to one of said compartments and for movement in the other direction from its closed position to permit access to the other of said compartments.

3. A sheet holder comprising an open top receptacle having two sheet receiving compartments which are respectively accessible through different portions of said open top, a closure for said receptacle to normally prevent access to either of said compartments, and means for supporting said closure on said receptacle for movement in a plane substantially parallel with said receptacle in one direction from its closed position to uncover one of said portions of said open top and provide access to one of said compartments, or in the opposite direction to uncover the other of said portions of said open top and to provide access to the other of said compartments.

4. A sheet holder comprising a receptacle, means for dividing said receptacle into upper and lower compartments adapted to receive, respectively, used and unused sheets, said lower compartment being accessible through one end of said upper compartment, a closure for said upper compartment slidably supported on said receptacle for movement in one direction from closing position to open one end of said upper compartment and permit an unused sheet to be withdrawn therefrom, and for movement in the other direction from said closing position to open the other end of said compartment and permit the insertion of a used sheet in said lower compartment.

5. A sheet holder comprising a receptacle, means for removably supporting a plurality of superposed sheets in said receptacle, a closure to normally prevent access to the interior of said receptacle, means for supporting said closure on said receptacle for movement in one direction to provide access to one end portion of said receptacle and permit the removal of a sheet therefrom, and for movement in another direction to provide access to the other end portion of said receptacle, and means controlled by said closure for elevating the sheets in said receptacle to permit said removed sheet to be inserted in the last mentioned end portion of said receptacle beneath said elevated sheets.

6. A sheet holder comprising a receptacle adapted to receive a pile of unused sheets, means to engage said pile of sheets adjacent one end thereof and removably retain said sheets in said receptacle, a device having an upwardly biased part arranged below and engaging said pile of sheets adjacent the other end thereof, a closure to normally prevent access to the interior of said receptacle and to limit the movement of said pile of sheets by said device, and means for supporting said closure on said receptacle for movement in one direction to provide access to that end portion of said receptacle which is adjacent said sheet retaining means, and for movement in the other direction to provide access to the other end portion of said receptacle and release said sheets for elevation by said device.

7 7. A sheet holder comprising a bottom member. means to support one end of a pile of sheets above and spaced from said bottom member with the other end of said pile of sheets free to move upwardly, and a top member to normally cover said pile of sheets and restrain the upward movement of said free end thereof, said top member being connected with said bottom member for movement to a position to expose at least a portion of the uppermost sheet of said pile of sheets and to a position to release said free end of said pile of sheets for upward movement.

8. A sheet holder comprising a bottom member, means for supporting a pile of sheets above said bottom member including retaining means to .engage one end of said pile of sheets, and yieldable means to exert an upward pressure on the other end of said pile of sheets, a top member to normally cover said pile of sheets and restrain the upward movement thereof by said yieldable means, and means for connecting said top member with said bottom member for movement to a position to expose at least a portion of the uppermost sheet of said pile of sheets and to a position to release the last mentioned end of said pile of sheets for upward movement by said yieldable means.

9. A sheet holder comprising a bottom member, a sheet supporting member above said bottom member including a part to have retaining engagement with one end of a pile of sheets and a resilient part to exert upward pressure on the other end of said pile of sheets, a top member to normally cover said pile of sheets and restrain the movement of said pile of sheets by said resilient part, and means for connecting said top member with said bottom member for movement in one direction to expose at least a portion of the uppermost sheet of said pile of sheets and for movement in another direction to release said pile of sheets for upward movement by said resilient part.

10. A sheet holder comp-rising a receptacle, a resilient plate in said receptacle having a part to engage one end portion of a pile of sheets and removably retain said sheets in said receptacle, and having an upwardly inclined part to engage the other end of said pile of sheets and exert upward pressure thereon, a closure for said receptacle to normally limit the upward movement of said pile of sheets by said resilient part, and means for connecting said closure with said receptacle for movement in one -direction to expose at least a portion of the uppermost sheet in said pile of sheets and for movement in another direction to release said pile of sheets for movement by said resilient plate and to provide access to the adjacent end of said receptacle.

11. A sheet holder comprising a bottom member, means for supporting a pile of sheets above said bottom member including retaining means to engage one end of said pile of sheets, and yieldable means to exert an upward pressure on the other end of said pile of sheets, a top member to normally cover said pile of sheets and restrain the upward movement thereof by said yieldable means, said closure being slidably connected with said bottom member for movement in one direction to permit access to said pile of sheets at the iirst mentioned end thereof and in the other direction to release the other end of said pile of sheets for upward movement by said yieldable means and permit access to the space between the same and said bottom member.

12. A. sheet holder comprising a receptacle having adjacent one end thereof an inwardly extending part spaced from the bottom thereof, a resilient sheet supporting plate in said receptacle having upwardly inclined end portions to engage the respective end portions of a pile of sheets and press one end portion thereof against said inwardly extending part of said receptacle and to exert upward pressure on the other end portion thereof, and a closure to normally prevent access to the interior of said receptacle and limit the upward movement of the last mentioned end portion of said pile of sheets, said closure being slidable on said receptacle in one direction to provide access to said pile of sheets and in the other direction to release said last mentioned end portion of said pile of sheets and to provide access to the adjacent end portion of said receptacle.

13. A sheet holder comprising a receptacle having adjacent one end thereof an inwardly extending part spaced from the bottom thereof, a resilient sheet supporting plate in said receptacle having an upwardly inclined part to exert upward pressure on one end portion of a pile of sheets, spring means to engage another part of said plate with the other end portion of said pile of sheets and press the latter against said inwardly extending part of said receptacle, and a closure to normally prevent access to the interior of [said receptacle and limit the upward movement of the rst mentioned end portion of said pile of sheets, said closure being slidable on said receptacle in one direction to provide access to said pile of sheets and in another direction to release said rst mentioned end portion of said pile of sheets and to provide access to the adjacent end of said receptacle.

14. A sheet holder comprising a receptacle having adjacent one end thereof an inwardly extending part spaced from the bottom thereof, a resilient sheet supporting plate in said receptacle having an upwardly inclined part to exert upward pressure on one end portion of a .pile of sheets, spring means to engage another part of said plate with the other end portion of said pile of sheets and press the latter against said inwardly extending part of said receptacle, a U-shaped wire having its legs connected with said receptacle on the respective sides of said plate with one leg above and the other leg below said plate and with the curved portion of said wire extending across the end edge of said plate, and a closure to normally prevent access to the interior of said receptacle and limit the upward movement of the first mentioned end portion of said pile of sheets, said closure being slidable on said receptacle in one direction to provide access to said pile of sheets and in another direction to release said rst mentioned end portion of said pile of sheets and to provide access to the adjacent end of said receptacle.

15. A sheet holder comprising a receptacle adapted to receive a pile of sheets which are individually removable from said pile, an upwardly biased member in said receptacle, said member and said receptacle having opposed parts to yieldably grip one end of said pile of sheets between them and releasably retain said sheets in said pile, a closure for said receptacle movable from its closed position to permit the free end portion of the uppermost sheet in said pile to be withdrawn, and then movable beneath the withdrawn sheet to provide a support therefor, whereby an entry may be made on said sheet and the latter then removed bodily from said retaining means.

16. A sheet holder comprising a receptacle adapted to receive a pile of sheets which are individually removable from said pile, an upwardly biased member in said receptacle, said member and said receptacle having opposed parts to yieldably grip one end of said pile of sheets between them and releasably retain said sheets in said pile, a closure for said receptacle movable from its closed position to permit the free end portion of the uppermost sheet in said pile to be Withdrawn, and then movable beneath the withdrawn sheet to provide a support therefor, whereby an entry may be made on said sheet and the latter then removed bodily from said retaining means, and means engaging the free end of said pile of sheets to prevent the displacement thereof when said uppermost sheet is withdrawn from said retaining means.

17. A sheet holder comprising a receptacle adapted to receive a pile of sheets which are individually removable from said pile, said recepta'ele having a part extending inwardly above one end of said pile of sheets to limit the upward movement thereof, a sheet supporting member in said receptacle having its end portions biased upwardly, and having one of said end portions in opposed relation to said inwardly extending part of said receptacle to grip the adjacent end of said pile of sheets and releasably retain the sheets against displacement, a closure to normally prevent access to said receptacle and to restrain the upward movement of the other end portion of said sheet supporting member, said closure being movable to one position to permit the free end portion of the uppermost sheet to be withdrawn from said receptacle, to a second position to provide a support for the withdrawn sheet While the latter is held by said retaining means, and to a third vposition after said sheet has been detached from said retaining means to release the other end of said sheet supporting member for upward movement and permit the detached sheet to be inserted in said rceptacle beneath said sheet supporting member.

18. A sheet holder comprising a receptacle having bottom, side and end walls and adapted to receive a pile of sheets in which the sheets are detachably connected one with the other at the forward end of said pile, the forward end wall of said receptacle being of a height slightly less than the height of the side walls, a retaining member supported at its ends on said side walls above and in spaced relation to the upper edge of said forward end wall and extending rearwardly from said end wall, means in said receptacle for pressing a forward end of said pile of sheets against said retaining member, and a closure slidably mounted on said receptacle for movement beneath the uppermost sheet of said pile of sheets while said uppermost sheet is connected with said lower sheets to support the same while an entry is made thereon, and for forward movement below and beyond said retaining member to detach said uppermost sheet from said lower sheets.

BRUCE K. SLO'NNEGER.

REFERENCES CITED The following references are of record in the le of this patent:

UNITED STATES PATENTS Number Name Date 389,873 Clark Sept. 25, 1888 839,201 Richter Dec. 25, 1906 1,253,070 Mahaney Jan. 8, 1918 1,791,586 Todd Feb. 10, 1931v 1,971,684 Hoppe Aug. 28, 1934 

